Rural rate relief

Some types of rural business can get a discount on their Business Rates if the property is of benefit to the local community.

You might be able to get help with your Business Rates if your bill says your business is in any of the areas listed here.

Find out which areas count for rural rate relief in Cheshire East

How much rural rate relief businesses can get

Most types of rural rate relief are mandatory, which means that you will definitely get the mandatory discount if your business meets the conditions. The discretionary rural rate relief isn't guaranteed.

Businesses that can get mandatory rural rate relief can't claim small business rate relief.

Discounts for rural businesses

The rateable value thresholds given here are set by central government.

Rural business rates discounts
Type of business	Mandatory discount	Maximum discretionary discount	Rural rate relief category
Sole post office or general store (selling household goods and food for human consumption that isn't mostly sweets), where the rateable value is less than £8,500	100%		29
Sole pub where the rateable value is less than £12,500	100%		30
Sole petrol station - on an A road and where the rateable value is less than £12,500	100%		31
Sole petrol station - not on an A road, and where the rateable value is less than £12,500	100%		32
Food shop where the main business is the sale of food for human consumption and where the rateable value is less than £8,500. Not catering businesses or shops selling mostly sweets	100%		33
Business of benefit to the community and where the rateable value is less than £16,500	0%	100%	34

How to apply for rural rate relief

You can apply for rural rate relief by filling in our online form.

Apply for Business Rates relief

You must keep paying the rates shown on your bill while you wait to hear from us, unless we've agreed you don't have to.

Backdating claims for rural rate relief

The rules about backdating depend on whether the relief is mandatory or discretionary.

Mandatory relief

You can backdate claims for mandatory relief for the last 6 years.

Discretionary relief

Discretionary relief is granted from the beginning of the financial year in which the application is made, or if the application is within 6 months from the end of the financial year. The council will also consider a further backdate if appropriate to 1 April 2023, where the Valuation Office Agency enters a new property into the rating list that may qualify for discretionary relief.

What happens next

We may visit the property and check your business meets the conditions for any mandatory relief. We'll then consider whether we can give any discretionary relief and if so, how much.

When we give discretionary relief, we are spending council tax payers and ratepayers money, so we need to be sure that giving the relief will benefit the community. We follow guidelines set down by councillors.

Once we've made our decision, we'll either send you a new bill or let you know why you can't get a discount.

We try to make decisions within 4 weeks, but it might take longer.

If you think we have made a mistake about a mandatory relief or want to challenge a decision about a discretionary relief, you can appeal.

Renewing rural business rate relief

Once mandatory rural rate relief is added to your bill, you'll get it automatically the next year. However we regularly check that you are still eligible to receive relief. If you have received a review letter from us you will need to complete our review form.

Changes in circumstance for rural rate relief

You must tell us if your circumstances change. For example, if you are no longer the only shop or pub, or if you change what you sell so you no longer count for rural relief.

We do sometimes review reliefs. If you haven't told us about a change that means your property no longer counts, you'll have to pay the backdated business rates within 14 days.

Areas that count for rural rate relief in Cheshire East

Area

Acton
Adlington
Agden
Alpraham
Arclid
Ashley
Astbury (inc. Astbury marsh)
Aston by Budworth
Aston juxta Mondrum
Audlem
Austerson
Baddiley
Baddington
Barthomley
Basford
Batherton
Bickerton
Blakenhall
Bosley
Bradwall
Brereton (rest)
Brereton Green (Brereton)
Bridgemere
Brindley
Broomhall
Buerton
Bulkeley
Bunbury
Burland
Calveley
Checkley cum Wrinehill
Chelford
Cholmondeley
Cholmondeston
Chorley (SK9)
Chorley (CW5)
Chorlton cum Wrinehill
Church Lawton (rest)
Church Lawton North (Church Lawton)
Church Lawton South (Church Lawton)
Church Minshull
Coole Pilate
Cranage
Crewe Green
Dodcott cum Wilkesley
Doddington
Eaton
Edleston
Egerton
Faddiley
Gawsworth
Goostrey (rest)
Goostrey Village
Great Warford
Hankelow
Hassall
Hassall Green
Hassall Green (Betchton)
Hatherton
Haughton
Henbury
Henhull
High Legh
Hough
Hulme Walfield
Hunsterson
Hurleston
Kerridge
Kettleshulme
Lea
Little Bollington
Little Warford
Lower Peover
Lyme Handley
Macclesfield Forest
Marbury cum Quoisley
Marton
Mere
Millington
Minshull Vernon
Mobberley
Moreton cum Alcumlow
Mottram St Andrew
Mount Pleasant (Odd Rode)
Mow Cop (Odd Rode)
Nether Alderley
Newbold (Betchton rest)
Newhall
Norbury
North Rode
Odd Rode
Ollerton and Marthall
Over Alderley
Peckforton
Peover Superior
Pickmere
Plumley with Toft and Bexton
Poole
Pott Shrigley
Rainow
Ravensmoor
Ridley
Rode Heath (Odd Rode)
Rostherne
Scholar Green (Odd Rode)
Siddington
Smallwood
Snelson
Somerford
Somerford Booths
Sound
Spurstow
Stapeley
Stoke
Styal
Sutton (except ward 4G01)
Sutton Langley (Ward 4G01)
Swettenham
Tabley
Tatton
Twemlow
Walgherton
Wardle
Warmingham
Weston
Wettenhall
Wildboarclough
Wincle
Winterley (Haslington)
Wirswall
Woolstanwood
Worleston
Wrenbury cum Firth
Wybunbury

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Contact Business Rates

Customer Service Business Rates Team available for telephone enquiries:
Monday - Friday, 9am to 1pm

0300 123 5013

Revenues Service
Cheshire East Council
PO Box 622
Crewe
Cheshire
CW1 9JH

Page last reviewed: 25 March 2025